Q&A with Ultra Marathon Runner, Charlotte Clarke

For me, this was a pleasure to interview Charlotte Clarke, an Ultra Marathon runner, former dancer and more. Having run five marathons myself, I was fascinated to find out more about her running, her life and what an 'Ultra Marathon' is? As I didn't actually know what an Ultra Marathon was!

I think people would be interested in what Ultra Marathon Running is, means?

So, typically speaking, an ultramarathon is any distance over a standard 26.2 mile run. My first was a 31 mile race that turned virtual due to covid cancellations, so I just ran 31 miles around my local area!

I note you used to be a dancer, what sort of dancer? How did the switch to running take place? Were you a casual runner before you were a dancer?

You are right. I grew up dancing and did the standard disciplines- ballet, tap, modern, jazz... but went on to gain a First Class honours degree in contemporary dance. After I graduated, I also ventured into the aerial arts, my favourite was aerial silks. I moved to London and was filming a commercial for a gym, ended up with a new personal trainer and he got me into bodybuilding competitions (there was this step between dancing and running). I decided to pursue this over dancing and also trained to be a Level 3 Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor. I pursued this for a few years before deciding that for most of my life through dancing and forms of modelling and TV work, my ‘value’ or ‘worth’ had been based on my appearance, what I looked like and that is a different kind of exhausting.

I knew I wanted to stay active but with an activity that was more based on performance and ability over appearance. I had grown up running. I always looked forward to cross country season and entered as many running events as I was allowed on sports day at school. I’d go running with my dad and would also enter the local annual 10km event. I stopped running when I was at university. I was dancing for hours at a time every day and didn’t really need to run to stay fit. It also didn’t help that no one around me enjoyed running, so it made it easy to hit pause on running for a while.... I didn’t realise that that pause would last around 9 years. I didn’t really run at all between 2010/11 and 2019/20 and then decided to run again very late 2019 as an activity to do with my dog. It wasn’t until the very start of 2020 that I started to take it seriously again and haven’t looked back since.

Was the switch easy to do? How did you make such a decision to run and give up dance?

The switch was fairly easy for me. As soon as I decided that in a bid to better my mental health, I wanted to move away from activities to look a certain way, I didn’t look back. Dancing served me very well while I did it. I was good at it, I won the ‘Embodied Dancer’ award at graduation which was our award for best performer of our year. I then went on to start a small dance company with one of my peers and we were commissioned to make a piece for the London Bridge Live Arts Festival in 2014. I enjoyed it, I was good at it but then I guess I grew out of it. There were a few stages in my life between dancing and running but I think I’ve definitely found ‘my thing’ in running.

Is running a marathon harder than dancing?

This is such an interesting question. In some ways I’d say absolutely. The constant pounding on the pavement for 4+ hours does take its toll BUT in other ways I’d say not at all. Having been in the dance industry for most of my life, you are faced with brutal rejection, brutal notes and comments on how you look, a crazy pressure for perfection and constantly competing with everyone else in the room. Don’t get me wrong, the performing was magical, the physical act of dancing, I loved; I would just rather run marathons now.

So as an ex trainer, you join us trainers in doing what we can to encourage others to get active in spite of obstacles?

Oh absolutely! I, myself, have faced obstacles like two heart operations but I truly believe everyone can find their thing that they love doing and pursue despite or in spite of their obstacles. As a runner and ex-dancer, I have always managed to find joy in movement in some way or another and I really do believe and encourage others to find joy in movement, however that looks for them.

I know you have overcome some huge challenges, can you tell us a bit about that?

Yes, sure. When I was 14 years old, I was in a dance rehearsal and my heart started palpitating. Beating really hard and really fast. I knew it wasn’t just a racing heart from working hard in a routine, something was wrong. It took seven years to diagnose but I finally found out-whilst at university studying dance- I had what was called a ‘Supraventricular Tachycardia’ (SVT). I was faced with a few options; 1) carry medication every day to take when my heart started palpitating, 2) take medication every day to stop my heart from palpitating. 3) undergo surgery to *hopefully* solve the problem. I was 21 years old, I knew I had a big life to live, I chose the surgery called an ‘SVT ablation’. Unfortunately it didn’t completely work the first time so I had the same procedure 18 months or so later and now I don’t struggle. But who knew, that after two heart surgeries, I’d be here running ultramarathons and actually be quite good at them too.

Now, I am keen to see what my body is truly capable of, it really makes me appreciate my body and all it has done for me.

So you would identify with those who have health issues holding them back, how would you advise they deal with such huge negative problems?

Just know that although you may have to take a different route to get there, you should still have big goals and belief that you can achieve them. The beautiful thing about our bodies is that they’re all different. Whilst at times it can feel very ‘why me?’, when you achieve your goal it is SO incredibly rewarding. Even more so when you look at what you’ve had to overcome or work with to get there.

Do you run everyday? How far?

No, not every day. Most days! I think it’s 4 days a week at the moment but I train 6 days a week. 1 long run, 1 easy run, 2 different types of interval session, 1 bike session on a turbo trainer to cross train and 1 dedicated strength and conditioning session.

Do we know if the London Marathon will happen this year? Are you in training? Do you do just London or others around the world? Such as?

It looks like it’s set to go ahead in October this year. If I’m completely honest, it’s not on my list of races to do. Most of my races are UK based but I have an entry into one of the UTMB races this year- the MCC from Switzerland to Chamonix, France. I’d love to qualify for the full 170km UTMB race one day!

What would you say to those who fancy taking on the challenge of a marathon?

Give yourself enough time to train and prepare yourself, a marathon is no small feat. Go at your own pace, it’s your run. It can be easy to be swept up in comparing your times, training plan, pace to others’ but we are all individual and all that matter is what you are doing and how you are preparing. Most of all.... Believe that you can do it and you will.

Who are your inspirations?

I don’t find real dig deep kind of inspiration and motivation from huge celebrities and public figures, but more from people around me doing amazing things. My running coach for example, Carla Molinaro, is a world record holder for running Land’s End to John o’Groats. That’s 874 miles!! She did it in 12 days, 30 minutes. That really inspires me. It really hits home just how much we can really tolerate and I don’t think I’ve even scratched the surface with my own capabilities.

I ran five marathons back to back and I had a very love/hate relationship with the race. How would you describe your relationship with the race? Running 26.2 miles regularly?

Wow five back to back! What kind of time frame was that in?! So, my first ever marathon was a training run as part of my ultramarathon training and it happened to be THE hottest day of summer in England. It was genuinely the hardest run I have ever completed even to this day after three ultramarathons!

Since then, when runs feel hard, I take myself back to the moment mentally and remind myself I got through it, I CAN do hard things. Luckily none of my runs since, even my 60km, has broken me mentally as much as that one did.

What does being part of We Are Female Athletes involve? What does that mean to you?

It’s all about raising the profile of women in sport. We deserve to be taken seriously in our efforts and it’s such a great feeling knowing you have an amazing team behind you in doing that. I know I’m surrounded by other female athletes and together with the agency, we are changing the narrative in women’s sports.

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Thank you Charlotte for such in depth and interesting answers. I have learnt a lot and it has been fascinating to hear how your life has developed and changed over the years! The most inspiring lives I believe are the ones with twists and turns, not just straight paths.